More Than One Kind of Family
by NatesMama
Summary: A series of 200 or 500 word drabbles, all inspired by prompts from "My Girls".
1. Happiness

_**A/N: Just a new collection of nothing but drabbles, either 200 or 500 words. All prompts are from my girls. **_

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><p><span>Happiness<span>

Brennan stacked the dishes in the sink to be rinsed while Booth cleaned up Christine. "She gets more on her than in her half the time." He laughed as his daughter swatted at his hands grumpily. "Come on, kiddo. Let Dad clean your face."

"She doesn't like it when we use the washcloth on her face, Booth. Give it to her and let her do it herself. You can get the places she missed in the bath later." Brennan smiled at the picture her family made as she began to stack the plates in the dishwasher. "A little mashed potato on her cheek won't hurt her."

Booth agreed, handing the little girl the cloth and smiling as she squealed in victory. "This from the woman who used to make me sterilize the clippers before I cut the baby's fingernails."

"Well, I eventually realized I was being a little overprotective." She shook her head when Booth's eyes widened comically. "_A little_, I said."

"Yeah, well…" He winked at his wife as he released Christine from her high chair. "You're a good mom, Bones. It's okay to be overprotective. She's your baby."

Brennan, unexpectedly moved at Booth's words, smiled. "Thank you, Booth."


	2. Laughter

Laughter

"What are you listening to, Bones?" Booth pulled the headphone away from her ear, surprised to hear the strains of 'Wanna Be Startin' Something' drifting from the earpiece. "Michael Jackson? Really?"

"Booth!" Brennan jerked her head back and snatched the cans out of her husband's hand. "I was listening to that!"

"Decided to expand your musical repertoire, huh?" He looked smug. "I knew you'd enjoy the King of Pop."

Brennan watched Booth stretch his long body out on the sofa across from her, a tiny smile crossing her face. "Of course I enjoy Michael Jackson, Booth. In fact, I remember quite clearly Russ and his friends trying to re-create the dance from that werewolf video he made. It was…quite amusing." She chuckled at the memory, laughing harder at her husband's dropped jaw.

"Temperance Brennan, did you _lie_ to me about not knowing who Michael Jackson is?" Booth was less shocked than intrigued, but he had to call her out on her shenanigans one way or the other.

She had the grace to look embarrassed for a moment before she nodded her head. "I like it when…" She actually blushed, then continued. "I find myself amused by your incredulity when I don't understand a pop culture reference. It makes me laugh."

Sitting up, Booth shook his head. "I have no idea what that means."

Stifling a giggle, Brennan smiled. "It's just, you get so frustrated with me when I ask you to explain something you think I should already know and I, occasionally, find said frustration, well…" She trailed off, a deeper blush setting into her features.

Booth moved from his seat and settled in beside her, pulling her close enough to nuzzle into her neck and then nip at her earring-free lobe. "Well, what, Temperance?"

"I find it arousing" She breathed, turning to capture his mouth with hers. His tongue swiped her lips before plunging forward, twin sighs mingling between them. When Booth pulled back suddenly, she whimpered and followed his body with hers.

Booth pulled her into his arms and fell back into the sofa, letting her entire body lay against his, from feet to chest. He stroked a hand from her bottom to her shoulders and gave her a wry grin. "At least we're even there, Bones. Because, my confession? I think the fact that you don't know, or even care about; most pop culture or common sayings is one of the sexiest things about you."

She kissed a trail along his jaw, pleasure and absolute contentment warming her from the inside out. "Really?"

His eyes slipped closed as she used her lips and tongue on his Adam's apple while her hands slipped lower on his torso. "Oh yeah. Definitely." He fought their passion for a moment and raised his head to look his wife in the eye. "Bones, you're the most honest and least frivolous woman I've ever met and I find that sexy as hell."

Kissing him again, Brennan ignored the sudden burning in her eyes for the one in her heart as she reached for his belt buckle. "Then while Christine is sleeping, let's get this show on the pavement."


	3. Sadness

Sadness

After tossing out the last of the leftovers from the party for Hank (_"A wake, Bones. It's called a wake, not a party!"_) and checking for stray trash with one last look around the living room, Brennan crossed to the double doors leading to the backyard. The silence of the early evening twilight made the slight creak of the door sound like a gunshot and she gave her husband an apologetic look as he glanced at her from his perch on the rocking bench that faced her garden.

Booth's posture could only be described as tense. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he rolled a tumbler of amber liquid Brennan knew to be scotch between his palms in contemplation. Brennan closed the door and moved to join him on the seat, waiting as he slid over to make room. Once settled, she leaned back and began rubbing slow, soothing circles on his back, letting him gather his thoughts.

Brennan knew Booth would want to talk about his grandfather. To the rest of the world, Seeley Booth seemed guarded, closed-off and brusque. But to the ones who knew him best, such as Cam and even Sweets, his outward coldness was only a protective wall he put up to avoid dealing with feelings and emotions he didn't want to face.

His wife knew this better than anyone because she often did the exact same thing.

At a loss as to how to start a conversation, Brennan decided to let Booth pick his moment. So she sat, offering physical comfort that spoke of her emotional comfort and she waited. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, and still she waited.

What could have been minutes or even hours later, Booth finally set his glass on the stone surface of the garden patio and leaned back into Brennan's side. She laced her hand with his and squeezed as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"I miss him."

A tear escaped the corner of her eye unexpectedly, and he felt her kiss the top of his head as she murmured, "I know. I do, too."

And as the twilight passed into darkness and the slight breeze began to turn cool, Hank Booth's family sat in the quiet and thought of the man they loved, and had recently lost, and how grateful they were that they had been lucky enough to share the world with him.

And life went on.

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><p><strong>AN: Rest in peace, Mr. Waite. We'll miss you…and Pops.**


	4. Address

Address

Brennan tapped her foot in frustration as she waited outside the office of Parker's principal. She threw a glare at the oblivious office assistant as he blithely continued his phone conversation with what sounded like his mother.

"Excuse me?" Brennan interrupted, not even feeling the least bit guilty.

The assistant pulled the phone from his ear and raised his eyebrows in question. "Yes, Mrs. Booth?"

Brennan opened her mouth to correct the young man when the realization that he had addressed her correctly suddenly and surprisingly made her smile. Shaking her head at her own sentimentality, she inquired as to how long her wait would be, and did the principal realize that Brennan was very busy?

"I'll go check, just a moment." He ended his personal call and moved to open the door of the inner office, sparing an apologetic glance to the woman waiting behind him.

Once Ms. Payne finally emerged and reached out for her hand, Brennan had recovered her usual stoicism and introduced herself with her professional name. "I am Doctor Temperance Brennan, Parker's stepmother. I'm here to pick him up for a dentist appointment."

The principal looked confused for a moment. "Oh. I was unaware that Mr. Booth had gotten married." Brennan could have sworn she saw what looked like disappointment in the other woman's gaze.

"Yes, we are married. I was under the impression that Rebecca, Parker's mother, had contacted you about adding my name to Parker's contact list quite a long time ago. Is there a problem with my presence?" Brennan shared the principal's confusion. She and Booth had been sure Parker's mother had contacted the school several years ago.

Looking at the file now in her hands, Ms. Payne shook her head. "Not at all. I apologize, Mrs.- uh, Mrs. Booth." She swallowed visibly and then looked to Brennan in question. "Or do you prefer Doctor Brennan?"

Again, the smile graced her face as she took her seat across from the other woman. "In this setting, Mrs. Booth is fine." And besides, the way her new moniker appeared to make Ms. Payne uncomfortable made Brennan herself feel a little smug.

Not that anyone else would ever, ever know about that. Especially Booth.


	5. Comfort

Comfort

"Was it horrible?"

The long-ignored question, spoken softly in an otherwise quiet bedroom, caused him to shift slightly, uncomfortably. They had avoided the topic for far too long, he knew, but eventually it would have to be discussed and the looming darkness of their room made it seem a bit easier.

"Yes."

Her grieved sigh made him start to rethink the conversation, until she continued. "I didn't ask about the cuts and bruises. I'm sorry about that."

She heard, rather than saw, him shake his head. "It's okay. What would I have said? 'Yeah, being a cop in lock-up tends to make you a pretty attractive target.'? I didn't want to talk about it then anyway, Bones."

She rolled her body closer to his, close enough that he could feel her warm breath on his chest. "Do…do you want to talk about it now?"

"No." He tucked her head under his chin and kissed her hair, lingering on the fresh scent of her and the comfort and safety she gave him every day. "But I think maybe I have to."

She nodded against him and her arms wrapped around him tightly as he told her of nightly beatings from fellow inmates and the lack of protection from the deputies who believed he was a cop killer. Of the loneliness that enveloped him as he lay on the threadbare mattress in his stark, uncomfortable bunk, thinking of his wife and daughter. Of his son. Of his friends, who were working tirelessly to free him. Of the case that had put him there in the first place.

He explained how his foes had promised rewards of shortened sentences and unimagined privileges to whomever did the most damage, up to and including his death. His only saving grace was when word finally got around about the identity of his father-in-law. Apparently Max Keenan's influence had a reach their opponents and even Brennan was unaware of, but for the first time, instead of being angry she only felt grateful.

"I'm sorry." She said, voice thick with tears and regret. "I wish we could have gotten you out of there sooner."

He pulled her even tighter. "I know you all did everything you could. It's okay. And hey…it's over now, right?"

"Right." Leaning up to kiss him, she slid her hand down his chest and torso, reaching her destination and drawing a ragged gasp from him.

"Right." He mumbled around her questing lips, finally, completely relaxing in the only place that had ever truly felt like home to him. "I love you, Bones."

"I love you, too Booth."


End file.
